The Philadelphia Eagles are 10-1 and still hold the best record in the NFL. Although this win wasn’t perfect, it was a more complete offensive effort than the last two weeks and restored our faith in the unit.
This team controls its destiny for the #1 seed, and the playoffs are looming.
Let’s look at the hungry dog (player/coach of the game) and bird in the doghouse (worst player/coach of the game).
I’ll also predict the best and worst performers in the Eagles’ upcoming matchup with the Tennesee Titans.
Week 12 – Hungry Dog, Packers @ Eagles
Jalen Hurts. Jalen Hurts. He’s my main hungry dog pick and is continuing to build his case for MVP. Week to week, he continues to be a great leader, and this week he made history. He passed Michael Vick’s record for rushing yards in a single Eagles game with 157. He also added two rushing touchdowns and is the first player in NFL history to have 125 passing and rushing yards each in a half. He was efficient in the pocket, making great throws and decisions, and is about to earn himself a contract.
Miles Sanders deserves to share this honor with Jalen Hurts, as he assisted with gashing the Packers’ run defense. He rushed for 143 yards and two touchdowns. Eagles’ rushers racked up 364 total yards.
The Eagles returned the favor to the defense, winning the game this week and coming back to life after 2 poor showings. Shane Steichen and Nick Sirianni didn’t think, exposing a clear flaw of this Packers team.
Week 12 – Bird In The Doghouse, Packers @ Eagles
AJ Brown, what is with your hands?
Brown has had costly fumbles and mistakes in three straight games.
The sloppy ball security, special teams, and defense are my birds in the doghouse this week. Special teams were a disaster and allowed 172 return yards, making life even harder for the defense.
It’s a serious issue and could be a killer come playoff time. The Eagles’ defense deserves to be included in the conversation. A lot of the points were the result of short fields.
- One was caused by AJ Brown’s fumble, another was caused by the Eagles failing to convert a 4th and one on their side of the field, and short fields by special teams didn’t help.
- Gannon blitzing Rodgers but not blitzing Love when he came in was another crucial mistake.
- Luckily, it’s only the second time the Eagles’ defense has allowed 30 points or more this season. They allowed 106 total yards rushing to the Packers’ running backs, the one major positive.
Week 13 – Hungry Dog Prediction, Titans @ Eagles
I’m picking two hungry dogs for this matchup, and I’ll explain why. The Tennesee Titans have young talent on offense, with players like running back Derrick Henry and the emerging wide receiver Treylon Burks. Their Achilles heel is their ability to be one-dimensional.
They boast one of the worst passing offenses in the league, averaging 165 yards per game. They also score 19 points per game, good for the bottom 10 in the league. Their rushing offense is top 15, but if Derrick Henry doesn’t get going, this offense offers nothing else. Despite their talent, none of their wide receivers have broken 500 receiving yards on the season, making this a pretty easy group for defenses to defend.
One of my hungry dog predictions is the Eagles’ defense.
They’ve been consistently good late in games, allowing fewer points and forcing turnovers. Even if Jordan Davis doesn’t return for this game, the Eagles have the personnel to slow down Derrick Henry, as they managed to do against Jonathan Taylor and AJ Dillon, and Aaron Jones in back-to-back weeks.
The Eagles defensive backs will have a great day against a wide receiver group that doesn’t make many big plays, and they will not allow Tannehill to carve them up. This will give the Eagles’ offenses many opportunities to seal the win.
My second hungry dog prediction for this game is AJ Brown.
It’s obvious. This is the matchup he’s been waiting for, and he wants to show the Titans why trading him was a mistake. It doesn’t hurt that the Titans have one of the worst passing defenses in the league, allowing 266 yards per game.
If you like to bet, slam the line you need to for AJ Brown to get at least 100 yards and a receiving touchdown or two. He’ll redeem himself for his recent fumbles. The Titans’ defensive backs are in for a long day here.
Week 13 – Bird In The Doghouse Prediction, Titans @ Eagles
The Titans may have flaws, but they’re a winning team for a reason. When their running game is on, they win games. They also have one of the best run defenses in the NFL, allowing less than 100 rushing yards a game. There are two birds with doghouse potential here, and let’s start with the Eagles’ run defense.
To play devil’s advocate from above, if the Titans dominate time of possession and Derrick Henry can get going, the Eagles are in for a long day. The second potential bird in the doghouse next week is Miles Sanders. It’s tough to do this, but the Titans do not allow big rushing games from their opponents.
Miles Sanders’s frustrating vision could aid in this, as running lanes could be clogged. If the Eagles beat the Titans, they will have to do it through the air. This week will be a great test of Shane Steichen’s creativity as well.
- Who would be your hungry dog and bird in the doghouse picks for the Eagles’ game against the Packers?
- Who would you pick going into the week 13 matchup against the Titans?
